What's Your Number? Understanding Your Name, Your Self, and Your Birth Date
Image by Gerd Altmann

One of the ways that leads to the comprehension of the world is by attempting to understand people -- not necessarily to agree with them, nor to explain them, but to grasp their nature. The numerological chart is a powerful tool for that purpose. It is simple yet deep. The only data required for the composition of the chart is your complete original name and your date of birth. These data will be the basis for the calculations. Don't be afraid of complicated calculations. I can assure you that your knowledge of mathematics is probably much better than mine! Each number combination reflects a certain aspect of your personality and shows an archetypal energy that is the root of the personality.

Your name reflects your self in the chart, while the date of birth reveals how this self lives. This is easy to understand: your complete original name actually works as a kind of label. Therefore, the investigation of the symbolism of that name will unveil the so-called owner of the name.

Similarly, the date of birth symbolizes the start of the journey, and how the rest of it will be affected. Note that this data does not symbolize a fixed destiny, for there is always an unknown element in life, and we should not overlook it. On the other hand, by knowing the numbers we are also able to observe a soul in the same way we observe a face in a picture.

The first numerical distinction we can make is between the positive/ masculine and the negative /feminine groups. It does not imply anything concerning better or worse, or sexuality. It only implies polarity, being that odd numbers are always virile and aggressive in different ways, while even ones carry some subtlety and delicacy. Also, when we add an odd and even number, the result will always be odd, in the same way that two even numbers added together will produce another even number. It shows clearly how demanding the odd numbers are, always imposing themselves upon the even; and how defensive the even numbers can be, protecting their similar in a circle.

Let's start with the elementary numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. These cannot be reduced; they represent essential archetypes, the basic manifestation of personality or a situation. All the other numbers (except 11 and 22, for reasons we will learn later) can be reduced like this. For example: 18 = 1 + 8 = 9. This is a simplification of a method created by Pythagoras in order to understand the essence of a number.


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The master numbers are 11 and 22. We cannot reduce these numbers because they represent the exceptions to every rule, so they are linked to distinctive people and situations.

We must keep in mind that a composed number is the root that influences the basic number. The composed numbers are the father and mother from which the basic number inherits its particular characteristics. For example, 6 is always a 6, but depending on the numbers that compose it, some characteristics are stronger than others. A 6 that is composed from 15 is always more passionate, strong, and less quiet -- characteristics of the "father" 1 and the "mother" 5 that make 6 tend toward the violent side of passion. A 6 that comes from 24 is the weakest one, for the yin aspects of 6 are reinforced by 2 and 4, resulting in a 6 that is weakened by a lack of yang energy. The number 33, a "special" 6, indicates, as do the master numbers, either enlightenment or mental illness (note that 33 is not a master number, but does exhibit the same double current of energy found in master numbers).

The basic number is the archetype, and the composed number shows the tendencies of the archetype. The following list will give you some brief examples of how composed numbers influence basic numbers:

  1. is the leader, but number 10 tends toward a paternal style in leadership, 19 toward an authoritarian style, and 28 toward perfectionism in leadership;
  2. is the cooperator, but 20 tends to cooperate on a higher, spiritual level;
  3. is the communicator, but 12 has difficulty in speaking its mind, 21 struggles with anxiety in expressing itself, while 30 communicates without angst;
  4. is the organizer, but 13 tends to exceed the rules, while 31 makes the rules;
  5. is the rebel, but 14 tends to repress 5's rebellious predisposition, 23 tends toward inflammatory words and actions, and 32 finds balance through liberty;
  6. is emotion, 15 tends toward strong feelings, 24 toward weak emotions, and 33 lies between the extremes;
  7. is the intellect, but 16 tends toward destruction while 25 tends toward construction;
  8. is material circumstances and concerns, 17 is inclined to be hopeful in thought and behavior, while 26 tends toward fragility and pessimism;
  9. is freedom and motion, but 18 tends to avoid paths that lead to intense emotions. 27 usually searches the inner world and 36 the outer world;
  10. 1is the yang aspect of spirituality, but 29 approaches it in a more "conventional" way, and 38 in a more "material" way;
  11. 2is the yin aspect of spirituality, and its composed numbers are all over 100, which makes the influences more complex and better left to a more advanced study.

If you don't pay attention to the process of the formation of a number (which is shown in composed -- not reduced -- numbers), you can't really say you understand the symbol and how it works. For example, water is always water, but it can be filtered or nonfiltered, sea water, muddy water, river water, distilled water, ice -- all water, yet all different kinds of H2O.

You can also assimilate what a number means if you pay attention to its mathematical behavior, whether it is divisible or not, and with which numbers and circumstances, etc. We can only understand the combinations if we have previously understood the essential meaning of the elementary numbers.

When you calculate a numerological chart, you will turn the letters of the name into numbers. The logic of this association comes from the idea that the same energy, or principle, appears in different worlds: the same principle for A should be 1, because they're both the first of their systems. Verily, the Sun is the first the leader of the solar system, so the Sun or "A" is number 1, and so on. In ancient times, there was no difference between chemistry and alchemy, astronomy and astrology, mathematics and numerology, sacred and profane, and in the same way, there was no difference between letters and numbers. That's why the Hebrew and Greek alphabets are composed of letters that happen to also be numbers. So numerology would be kind of a Qabalah for modern times, no matter how strange that may sound.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

A

J

S

B

K

T

C

L

U

D

M

V

E

N

W

F

O

X

G

P

Y

H

Q

Z

I

R

 

Again, we concentrate on the elementary numbers when we attribute numerical values to letters. But don't forget that A, J, and S are all different forms of number 1. And there is a difference between 1, 10 and 19. That's why A is more shiny, J is the most subtle, and S is the strongest -- all forms of 1 in their similarities and contrasts.

(Editor's Note: Due to space and size restrictions we cannot present a complete course in numerology in this article. This article simply presents a very basis understanding.)

This article is excerpted from Initiation into Numerology, Copyright 2001, by Johann Heyss. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Weiser Books. http://www.redwheelweiser.com

Article Source

 Initiation into Numerology
by Johann Heyss.

Written for people who want to explore numbers, Johann Heyss brings together the symbology of number and the tarot so you can work with the energy in your name. Here he discusses the prime numbers 0-9 and explains the nuances in numbers 1-100, how they are broken down, and how you can easily read important phases in your life. He also has formulae to read the personality (your relationship with self and others), the subconscious, your second name; he provides numbers that indicate professional talent, for understanding your sexuality, your lucky number, the three challenges, the life cycles life-and the major arcana number in the tarot deck that best relates to your name. The book is illustrated with the Crowley Thoth deck.

Info/Order this book. Also available as a Kindle edition.

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About the Author

Johann Heyss is a writer and musician who lives in Brazil. Since his adolescence he has been researching various paths of esoteric study. His interest in the numbers' archetypes prompted him to look beyond popular methods, and his new system combines many traditions. He encourages people to read their own numbers and teaches workshops and private classes. Heyss continues to work as a singer/composer and has produced two CDs, Look Carefully and AL A.H.A. He welcomes correspondence from readers in English and Portuguese at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Video/Presentation: The Basic Symbolism of Numbers
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